Director of Accounting

The Public Health Institute (PHI) is an independent, nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting health, well-being, and quality of life for people throughout California, across the nation and around the world. As one of the largest and most comprehensive public health organizations in the nation, we are at the forefront of research and innovations to improve the efficacy of public health statewide, nationally, and internationally.

PHI was distinguished as one of the top 50 “Best Non-Profit Organizations to Work For” by the Non-Profit Times in a national search.

Position Summary

The Director of Accounting is responsible for internal control, general ledger account set up and maintenance, general accounting and financial analysis, reconciliations, annual audits, and overall financial reporting. This position will supervise 3-4 staff members, direct the day-to-day operations for general accounting, and manage the month- and year-end close processes. The Director of Accounting is the lead on audit preparation and management, serves as the key point of contact for external auditors, and will have overall responsibility for the timely completion of the annual fiscal audit and annual tax returns. The incumbent will work with the Chief Financial Officer (CFO) to identify, recommend, and implement improved accounting policies and procedures to ensure that generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP), and other accounting requirements from authoritative accounting bodies are followed. The Director of Accounting will provide training, supervision, and coaching to the accounting team.

The Director of Accounting reports directly to the CFO.

This is a regular full-time position that is currently remote. The incumbent is required to work core business hours in the Pacific time zone. Candidates based in California are preferred.

Full salary range for this position: $140,759 to $219,794 per year. The typical hiring range for this position is from $140,759 (minimum) to $180,277 (midpoint), based on 100% FTE. The starting salary is determined based on the candidate’s knowledge, skills, experience, as well as budget availability.

Essential Duties & Responsibilities

Financial Management

• Plan, direct and coordinate all accounting operational functions
• Manage the accumulation and consolidation of all financial data necessary for an accurate accounting of consolidated business results
• Coordinate and prepare internal and external financial statements
• Coordinate activities of external auditors
• Provide management with information vital to financial decision-making process
• Assess current accounting operations, offer recommendations for improvement, and implement new processes
• Evaluate accounting and internal control systems and recommend to the CFO necessary changes to follow GAAP and other considerations such as but not limited to the Uniform Guidance
• Evaluate the effectiveness of accounting software and supporting database, as needed, and recommend solutions to improve or automate accounting functions using technology
• Develop and monitor business performance metrics through dashboard development and monitoring
• Oversee regulatory reporting, frequently including tax planning and compliance
• Hire, train, and retain skilled accounting staff
• Prepare reporting of balance sheet, income statement (for the entire agency and for other reporting segments)
• Provide timely financial reporting package for review by CFO monthly
• Prepare quarterly and annual analysis of indirect cost recovery pools in line with federally negotiated indirect cost recovery agreements
• Provides ad-hoc reports to management
  
  

Supervision and Team Leadership

• Direct the day-to-day operations and supervise accounting staff, in the areas of journal entries, account reconciliations, financial reporting, bank reconciliations and business filing
• Support the CFO as one of the leaders in the department, setting a tone of professionalism, responsibility, and teamwork
• Provide leadership and planning to develop and execute efficient and compliant month-end and year-end closing processes
• Provide excellent customer service to internal and external stakeholders
  
  

General Ledger

• Manage the general ledger. Perform postings to the accounting system. Responsible for preparing or reviewing journal entries
• Supervise the monthly balance sheet account reconciliations and monthly accruals, including the bank reconciliations
• Responsible for month-end and year-end closing
• Responsible for the recording of transactions and tracking of foreign bank accounts
• Responsible for analysis of new leases for proper GAAP recording. Record lease prepaid and deferred expense
• Supervise the review and preparation of bi-weekly payroll data to ensure accurate and timely uploads into the PeopleSoft Finance modules
• Supervise the process and accounting for revenue transfers and reclasses
• Supervise the accounting for fixed assets and ensure depreciation is booked monthly
• Supervise the preparation of applicable sales and use tax returns
• Supervise the preparation of file State of California unclaimed property filings
• Responsible for a timely and well-managed annual Single Audit process for the organization and its external financial statements
• Responsible for the accurate and timely completion of the annual 990 tax return
• Maintain and recommend financial data structures within the financial accounting and analysis systems to the CFO on an ongoing basis as new awards and funding is evaluated
• Develop policies and procedures, business process documentation, and executive summaries of finance and accounting processes
• Ensure revenue recognition related to contributions follow ASC 958 and contracts with customers follow ASC 606 with appropriately recognized revenue in PHI’s financial statements
  
  

Other

• Provide backup to Accounts Payable and Accounts Receivable Managers
• Provide accounting assistance, support and training to administrative and program staff
• Identify workflow and process improvements and engage in implementation
• Leverage PeopleSoft with a focus on efficient processes and ensuring optimal reporting to support day-to-day program operations and reporting
• Develop and maintain expertise in PeopleSoft and provide support to staff
• Responsible for review and update of finance procedures in functional areas
• Ensure cross functional department engagement with internal stakeholders including Grants and Contracts, Bid and Proposal, and Human Resources
• Perform other duties as assigned
  
  

Minimum Qualifications

• 10 years of accounting and/or finance management experience, including 5 years as a manager supervising a team in the accounting/finance department(s)
• Bachelor’s degree in accounting, finance, business administration or related field; or substitute with four additional years of relevant experience
  
  

Other Qualifications

• Demonstrated leadership skills and desire to manage, mentor and develop staff. Commitment to undertake continuing professional development
• Knowledge of and ability to interpret and apply GAAP, including proposed changes to authoritative accounting guidance
• Knowledge and experience with state and federal government requirements, including knowledge of OMB circular, grants administration and accounting (including direct and indirect cost allocation)
• Experience with federal audit and compliance requirements for non-profits strongly preferred
• Strong analytic and problem-solving skills. Excellent judgment and the ability to identify business issues and then to analyze, develop, and implement solutions
• Thorough knowledge of financial policies, practices and systems
• Experience in effectively communicating financial concepts to non-financial stakeholders
• Demonstrate an understanding of general ledger account analysis and reconciliation
• Excellent written, verbal and interpersonal communications. Ability to deal with broad and diverse constituencies with customer service orientation and skills. Demonstrated ability to communicate and interact effectively with others in all types of situations
• Work independently with little supervision and manage multiple tasks simultaneously
• Proficient in the use of Microsoft Office, with excellent skills in Excel
• Proficient in data visualization techniques to convey complex financial information in summary form
• Familiarity with Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) software, such as PeopleSoft preferred
• Familiarity with financial planning, analysis, and reporting software, such as Spreadsheet Server preferred
• Familiarly with month end close project management software, such as FloQast preferred
• Master’s degree in accounting, finance, or related field preferred
• Certified Public Accountant (CPA), and/or Certified Management Accountant (CMA) preferred
  
  

FAIR LABOR STANDARDS ACT (FLSA) STATUS

This position is classified as exempt based on the job duties. However, based on the FTE, salary level of the employee, or federal/state/local laws, the employee may be classified as nonexempt.

EEO Statement

The Public Health Institute is committed to a policy that provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, sex, religion, national origin, ancestry, age, marital status, pregnancy, medical condition including genetic characteristics, physical or mental disability, veteran status, gender identification and expression, sexual orientation, and to make all employment decisions so as to further this principle of equal employment opportunity. To this end, the PHI will not discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment because of race, color, sex, religion, national origin, ancestry, age, marital status, pregnancy, medical condition including genetic characteristics, physical or mental disability, veteran status, gender identification and expression, sexual orientation, and will take affirmative action to ensure that applicants are offered employment and employees are treated during employment without regard to these characteristics.

For further information regarding Equal Employment Opportunity, copy and paste the following URL into your web browser: http://www.dol.gov/ofccp/regs/compliance/posters/pdf/eeopost.pdf

ADA Statement:

The Public Health Institute is committed to providing access and reasonable accommodation in its services, programs, activities and employment for individuals with disabilities. To request disability accommodation in the application process, contact the Recruitment Team at least 48 hours in advance at Recruitment@phi.org.

To apply for any position, you must create an account on the Public Health Institute’s job application site. After creating your account, you may search the open positions and apply for the specific position that interests you. Please note, mailed and emailed applications will not be accepted.

We’re so pleased the Public Health Institute is an organization you would like to work with. Do you have questions about this opportunity? If so, email our recruitment team at Recruitment@phi.org.

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